Adapter



Feb. 18, 1 930. v. R. DEsPARD 1,747,758

ADAPTER Filed Aug. le. 1928 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTFFC VICTOR R. DESPARD, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO MCG-ILL)MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OFINDIANA ADAPTER Application filed August 16, 1928.

My invention relates to adapters and more specifically to a device forattachment to the operating lever of a switch which lever is to beoperated by a pull cord or the like to carry the pull cord laterallyfrom the operating lever so that the downwardly extending portionthereof will clear fixtures located below and controlled by the switch.

This device is particularly useful where lighting fixtures are suspendedfrom a canopy which canopy contains a controlling switch for turning thelights of the fixtures on or off.

If the pull cord were dropped directly from the canopy, the cord would,when pulled downwardly to turn on the switch, swing the fixture out ofposition or bear against it in case the fixture was rigidly mounted andthis is of course objectionable as it tends not only to keep the fixturemoving, but also to wear out the cord where it contacts with the ture.

Rigid horizontal extensions from the switch housing have been suggested,but the difficulty with this lies in the fact that, if very much of apull is exerted on the pull cord, there is danger of distorting thecanopy or breaking the switch mechanism due to the long leverageobtained by the rigid horizontal extensions.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide an adapter of this characterwhich may be readily applied to a switch operating handle and which issufficiently sti to carry the pull cord outwardly to the proper distancefrom the canopy and which is sufliciently ilexible or resilient toprevent any damage in case of an unexpectedly hard pull applied to thepull cord.

It is also a purpose of this invention to provide an adapter of thischaracter which will also be simple to manufacture and attach to theswitch.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein the preferred form of the device is shown. It is obvious,however, that various modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention and such modifications as fall within thescope of Serial No. 300,129.

the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

In the drawings:

F ig. 1 illustrates my device as applied to a canopy switch of the typeshown for instance in the patent to Despard No. 1,633,005; and

Fig. 2 is a view similar to F ig. 1 showing the device as it appearswhen the pull cord is pulled to operate the switch.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates theusual ceiling canopy in which is mounted the switch 6 for controllingthe lighting fixture suspended therefrom. This switch as shown isprovided with means for connecting with the lighting circuit consistingof the leads 7 and 8 and is clamped to the canopy by means of theknurled nut 9.

The operating lever 10 of the switch is the type shown in the patenthereinbefore mentioned which is to be rocked about a seat formed in ascrew threaded extension 11 of the switch frame to exert a pull on theswitch operating link 12. The details of this structure is, of course,old and well known and need not be further described here as it forms nopart of the invention.

The usual pull cord 13 is attached to the end of the switch operatinglever 10.

My invention consists of the member 1d which is a length of resilientwire having the end 15 thereof coiled about the lever 10 and gripping ittightly. The enlarged bead 16 on the lever 10 aids in preventing thedetachment of the member 1f-l by a straight pull away from the lever. Atthe free end of the member 14 it is provided with a coiled portion 17forming an eyelet through which the pull cord is extended. The pullcord, of course, then hangs vertically from the eyelet 17 as indicatedat 18. This vertical portion 1S isV therefore brought out suiiicientlyfar enough away from the canopy to clear whatever nxture may besuspended from the canopy.

Now when it is desired to operate the switch, the pull on the pull cordwill tend first to bend the member 14 downwardly. This member, however,is sufficiently stid so that before it is bent very far the pressureapplied to the lever 10 will rock it sufficiently to operate the switch.The resiliency of the member 14 also prevents any undue strain on theswitch mechanism since it would be necessary to pull the pull cord tarenough ldown to bend the member 14 until it extends directly downwardfrom the switch lever before any damage could be done. lWhen the member14 is bent to such an extent, it ot' course does not give the longleverage provided for slight pulls and therefore it would require a muchgreater pull to cause any damage to the switch mechanism or the canopyas would be the case if the member '14 were rigid.

This adapter has the additional advantage that it may be readily appliedto existing installations without the necessity of changing the pullcord or switch lever in any manner.-

From the above description it is thought that the construction andadvantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in this art.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An extension for a lever operated device in which said lever isadapted to be operated by a pull cord secured thereto, said extensionhaving means whereby the same may be mounted on said lever with the cordattached and having means at the end remote trom said lever forsupporting an intermediate portion of said cord.

2. An extension for a lever operated device in which said lever isadapt-ed to be operated by a pull cord secured thereto, said extensionhaving means readily attachable to said lever with the cord in place andresiliently gripping' said lever, and having means at a distance fromsaid lever tor supporting said cord. Y

3. An extension for a lever operated device in which said lever isadapted to be operated by a pull cord secured thereto, saidY extensionhaving means consisting oa coiled portion which may be iitted on saidlever when the cord is in place and having means spaced from said coiledportionthrough which the cord may extend.

4L. A switch operating device for operating the switch mechanism from apoint spaced therefrom without disturbing the electrical devicescontrolled thereby comprising a switch operating lever, and a resilientextension on said lever extending axially of said lever, the resiliencyof said extension preventing dama-ge to said switch mechanismr by givingin response to excessive pulls applied to said extension, and means atthe tree end of said extension for supporting a pull cord. l

' 5. A flexible extension for a switch operating lever which is adaptedto be' loperated by a pull cord secured thereto, said extension havingmeans whereby the same may be readfor readily attaching the same to saidlever' and having means at its tree end for support-v ing a pull cord. YY

Y 1n witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 'my name this 8th day otAugust, A. D. 1928.

VICTOR R. DESPARD.

